Commissioner Jeff Phillips noted how the governor is calling for providing $45 million in grants to help fund broadband in the rural areas, including where children in Rutherford County live to provide them with Internet access in pursuing school work.

"It is needed," said Phillips, noting that the county's six-member delegation in the Tennessee General Assembly has supporters of the legislation but others with questions after hearing from lobbyist who oppose the governor's bill that permits electrical utility cooperatives, such as Murfreesboro-based Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corp., to provide the service.

Among those who previously had questions was state Sen. Bill Ketron. The Republican senator from Murfreesboro, however, said during a Tuesday afternoon phone interview that all the stake holders who represented the private telecommunication companies and the electrical utility cooperatives have reached an agreement on the language of the legislation.

"They all worked it out among themselves, and I totally support it," said Ketron, adding that all seeking to offer broadband, including satellite TV companies, will be eligible to apply for the grants from the proposed $45 million appropriation.

Ketron during a previous interview had said that the private telecommunication companies were worried about a level playing field in competing with cooperatives that get tax breaks. The senator accepted a campaign contribution from AT&T Tennessee PAC (political action committee) for $2,500 on Dec. 6 to push the senator's aggregate collections from this lobby to $6,500, according to state online records.

Ketron said those seeking seats in the Senate have to raise significant campaign money to get their message out from multiple contributors. Ketron raised $30,825 from late October to early January, according to his Feb. 6 campaign finance records submitted to the state, and he had an ending fund balance of nearly $142,743.

The senator and the other five members of Rutherford County's state delegation may soon be receiving a resolution from the commissioners telling the lawmakers that "the Tennessee General Assembly is strongly urged to pass the Tennessee Broadband Accessibility Act."

The broadband resolution will go before the full 21-member County Commission at 6 p.m. March 16 in the second-floor courtroom of the County Courthouse in the center of the Square in Murfreesboro.

Mayor Ernest Burgess told the steering committee that improved access to broadband is needed in the county's rural areas.

Reach Scott Broden at 615-278-5158. Follow him on Twitter @ScottBroden.